Method and Apparatus Selling Internet Products and Services Via Retail Locations

Abstract

A method of enabling the sale of products or services which are available on the internet which comprises selecting a retail location, providing the retail location with information about products or services available on the internet which includes a website address at which the products or services may be purchased and a code for use in making purchases which is correlated with the identity of the retail location, storing the code in a computer which is not located at the retail location, programming the computer to monitor incoming signals received from purchasers and after a code which is the same as the stored code is received, provide an indication of the identity of the retail location which is correlated with the code, and paying a finder's fee to the retail location.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A method of enabling the sale of products or services which are available on the internet, comprising:
 a. selecting a retail location;   b. providing the retail location with information for customers about products or services available on the internet, which includes;
 i. a website address at which the products or services may be purchased, and 
 ii. a code for use in making purchases, which is correlated with the identity of the retail location, 
   c. storing the code in a computer which is not located at the retail location;   d. programming the computer to monitor incoming signals received from internet purchasers of the products or services, and to, after a code which is the same as the stored code is received, provide an indication of the identity of the retail location which is correlated with the code; and   e. paying a finder's fee to the retail location.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the information about products or services comprises printed information. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein a plurality of retail locations is selected, each is provided with said information about products or services, a code which is correlated with each retail location is stored in the computer, and the computer is programmed to, after a code which is the same as any stored code is received, provide an indication of the identity of the retail location correlated with the code. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the retail locations do not carry an inventory of said products or services available on the internet. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the code also includes information which enables a finder's fee to be calculated, further comprising:
 programming the computer to calculate a finder's fee based on said information which enables a finder's fee to be calculated. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said information which enables a finder's fee to be calculated is correlated with a particular product or service. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the code further includes information which enables a discount to be computed. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising:
 programming the computer to compute a discount based on said information enabling a discount to be computed; and 
 when a sale is made, charging an amount for the sale which includes a deduction corresponding to the discount which is computed. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising:
 programming the computer to automatically send an e-mail to the identified retail location after completion of a sale, which includes information relating to the purchase including the amount of the finder's fee attributable to the retail location. 
 
     
     
         10 . A computer for enabling the sale of products or services which are available on the internet in connection with retail locations which have been provided with information for customers about the products or services and respective codes which are correlated with the respective identities of the retail locations for use in making purchases, the codes being stored in the computer, which is not located at the retail location and is programmed to perform the following steps:
 monitoring incoming signals received from internet purchasers of the products and services and,   after a stored code is received, providing an indication of the identity of the retail location which is correlated with the code.   
     
     
         11 . The computer of  claim 10  wherein said information about products or services comprises printed information, said codes also include information enabling a finder's fee to be calculated, and the computer is programmed to calculate the finder's fee. 
     
     
         12 . The computer of  claim 11  wherein each code is correlated with a particular product or service. 
     
     
         13 . The computer of  claim 11  wherein said codes include information which enables a discount to be computed, and wherein said computer is programmed to calculate the discount. 
     
     
         14 . The computer of  claim 11  which is programmed to automatically send an e-mail to the identified retail location after completion of a purchase which includes information about the purchase including the amount of the finder's fee which is attributable to the retail location. 
     
     
         15 . Machine readable media bearing a set of instructions for a computer for enabling products or services which are available on the internet to be sold in connection with retail locations which have been provided with information for customers about the products or services which includes respective codes, stored in the media, which are correlated with the respective identities of the retail locations, which instructions direct the computer to perform the following steps:
 monitoring incoming signals received from internet purchasers of the products or services, and   after a stored code is received, providing an indication of the identity of the retail location which is correlated with the code.   
     
     
         16 . The machine readable media of  claim 15  wherein the codes also include information which enables a finder's fee to be calculated and the media includes instructions for the computer to calculate the finder's fee. 
     
     
         17 . The machine readable media of  claim 15  wherein the codes also include information enabling a discount to be calculated and the media includes instructions for the computer to calculate the discount. 
     
     
         18 . The machine readable media of  claim 15  which includes instructions for the computer to automatically send an e-mail to the identified retail location after completion of a sale which includes information about the sale including the amount of the finder's fee which is attributable to the retail location. 
     
     
         19 . A method of enabling the sale of products or services which are available on the internet, comprising:
 a. selecting a retail location;   b. selecting a plurality of sellers which offer product or services for sale on the internet; and   c. arranging for each seller to
 i. provide the retail location with information about the products or services which it sells on the internet, which includes a website address at which the products or services may be purchased and a code for use in making purchases which is correlated with the identity of the retail location; 
 ii. store the code in a computer within the control of the seller; 
 iii. programming the computer to monitor incoming signals from internet purchasers of the products or services, and to, after a code is received, provide an indication of the identity of the retail location which is correlated with the code, and 
 iv. pay a finders fee to the retail location.